Flushing device



' inder heads.

Patented July 7, 1 953 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE assi n! New link! Application September 7, L951, Serial No. 24yl8 This invention relates to a flushing apparatus,- and more particularly to automatic flushing apparatus for cleansing work pieces, such as cyl inder heads, by supplyingscleansing fluid under pressure from a reservoir toa flushing tank containing such a workpiece or work pieces and then emptying the tank back into the reservoir and thereafter continuously repeating the cycle.

The principal object of the. invention is to provide flushing apparatus which operates automatically for cleansing work pieces, such. as cyl- A further object is to provide such automatically operated flushing apparatus in which a tank containing work pieces to be cleansed is repetitively supplied with cleansing fluid from a reservoir in response to air pressure applied to a float positioned on the surfaceof the reservoir fluid, such pressure being cut oil by means of a slide valve controlled by. a pilot valve which is operated by the float so. that the supply of fluid to the tank is interrupted at. predetermined intervals and the return gravity flow of fluid from the tank to the reservoir is permit.- ted after each such interruption. Another object is to provide automatic flushing apparatus in which compressed air from an outside source flows through a control unit to force a float. in

a reservoir downwardly to supply cleansing fluid from the reservoir to a work tank containing work pieces, such control unit having'a slide valve therein operatively connected to the float so that upon predetermined downward move,- ment of the float the valve responds to cut, off the supply of compressed air against the float and hence the supply of flushing fluid to the tank, the valve acting at the same time to per-- 'mit venting of the reservoir chamber, so that the float will return to its original position and the tank will empty into the reservoir by gravity fpr the beginning of; another cycle.

ther and further objects of the invention will I Fig. 2 is an elevational sectional view or" a portion-of the control unit in which compressed air is un e suppl to he flo nd he i o valve is in up position to vent the chamber under the slide valve. 4

Referring now to Fig. l, a flushing tank [0 is supplied with cleansing fluid from reservoirthrough pipe l2. Such fluid is, placed under pressure in the reservoir, in the manner later to be described,and is ejected into the tank at hi h. v locity to lu a ork ie Sa a linder head, which is shown diagrammatically in the drawing. After one flushing operation, the fluid flows back by gravity through pipe is to the reservoir. The cycle is thereafter repeated automatically. Gheck valves I l and I5 are conventional. The former opens and the latter closes when the fluid in the reservoir is under pressure- T e r set ing a e automa ll fe s d after the u ply phase. o he c c i completed so that the return flow of fluid to the reservoir is permitted,

A control unit, generally indicated at It, comp s s a housin l secur d to ser o r s n 8 by bolts l l- F r u po e f s em ho ing i! is made in two parts, a base 2! and a main body :2, An axia b re 23 ex e h ou the main body 22; and, terminates at the top face of the base. Bore Z3 forms a cylinder in which there reciprocates, a slide valve, generally indi cated at 24. Valve 2,4 comprises two open-ended cylindrical portions or cups Z5 and 26 which are connectedby stem 21-. "Spring 25 is arran ed in the upper valve cup 25 and is seated under compression at its upper end against cap 29 se cured to housing I] by screws 30,. Normally slide valve 24 is urged by prin 2 to its wn position against base 2|. (see Fig. 2).

When slide valve 24 is, in down position, cornpressed air from an outside source (not shown) enters through inlet 3,! and passes through chamber 32 surrounding the valve stem, duct 33, and passageway 36 to chamber 35 in reservoir 5 l. Such pressure is suflicient in the chamber to force thefloat 3.6 downwardly against the fluid in the reservoir, thus forcing the fluid through check valve i4 and pipe I2 into flushing tank Ill. Float 36completely covers the fluid surface.

Guide rod 37, disposed along the vertical center line of the reservoir, is slidable at its lower end in a locating boss 38 loosely bored for its reception. Secured to. the, upper end of the rod is an internally threaded thimble 39 into which is threaded the lower end of pilot valve 4e. Valve 40- is cylindrical and is provided with an axial bore 4! extending from its top face downwardly approximately half the length of the valve. A plurality of radial ports 42 are in communication with bore M at its lower end.

As shown in Fig. 2, when slide valve. 2.4 i in down position and compressed air is first admit= ted to the reservoir ll, pilot valve Ali is in its up position. Ports 42 in valve 46 are then in communication with a vent 53 so that the chamher As formed by lower cup 26 of the slide valve is at atmospheric pressure. Spring 23 is thereby enabled to maintain the slide valve in such down position. As float 3% moves downwardly in response to the compressed air pressure, it engages flange 45 on rod 31. Such flange, at the time of engagement, is in a higher position than shown in Fig. 1, since pilot valve 43 (see Fig. 2) is then in its up position held there by the differential pressure on the bottom of rod 31, the pressure acting thereon being a combination of the compressed air pressure in chamber 35 and the static head of water in reservoir ll. As float 3% continues to move downwardly against flange 85, rod 3? pilot valve 49 are drawn down with it, first cutting off communication between chamber id and vent d3 through ports 52 and then establishing communication through the ports between air inlet 5! and chamber 44. Compressed air is then supplied through inlet iii, passageway ports 2, and bore to chamber forcing slide valve 25; upwardly against opposition of spring 23. When slide valve 24 reaches its up position, compressed air to the float is cut off and chamber 35 is vented through passageway 3d, duct 3 chamber 32 and port ll. Pressure upon float 3%: is then atmospheric, check valve 55 opens. and check valve Hi closes so that fluid in tani; it begins its return flow through screen it and pipe 53 in response to the gravity head. Float 35 then rises and engages thimble as to lift pilot valve it until the ports 42 reach the vent 3. The compressed air that is trapped in chamber escapes through bore Ill, ports G2, and vent .2 so that the slide valve 2 1 will drop in response to the urging of spring 28 and then the cycle will begin again.

It is to be understood only one embodiment of my invention is shown herein and that my invention is not to be limited to the precise construc tion shown and described herein, There is to be included in the invention alternative. con struction fairly within its scope and whatever equivalents fall fairly within the spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Flushing apparatus comprising a flushing tank, a sealed reservoir, reversible fluid transmission means for fluid flow from the reservoir to the tank when pressure is applied to fluid in the reservoir and for its return flow into the reservoir by gravity when such pressure is relieved, a float disposed upon and covering the surface of fluid in the reservoir, said float assuming its first position when the reservoir is sub stantially full of fluid and being adapted to move downwardly from such first position against the reservoir fluid in response to pressure thereby to force fluid from the reservoir to the tank, a pressure control unit having a passage to transmit compressed air from an outside source into the reservoir against the float, and a valve in such passage normally spring urged to open position to permit the movement of compressed air therethrough, said valve being responsive to the action of the float so that when the latter is in its first position said valve remains open and when the float has moved downwardly to a predetermined position in response to the action of the compressed air, said valve will close to cut ofl the compressed air from the float and to vent the reservoir thereby terminating the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the tank and permitting the return flow of fluid from the tank to the reservoir by gravity.

2. Flushing apparatus comprising a flushing tank, a sealed reservoir, reversible fluid transmission means for fluid flow from the reservoir to the tank when pressure is applied to fluid in the reservoir and for return flow into the reser-' voir by gravity when such pressure is relieved, a float disposed upon and covering the surface of the fluid in the reservoir, said float assuming its first position when the reservoir is full of fluid and being adapted to move downwardly from such first position against the reservoir fluid in response to pressure thereby to force fluid from the reservoir to the tank, a pressure control unit having a passage to transmit compressed air from an outside source into the reservoir against the float, a valve in such passage normally spring urged to open position to permit the movement of compressed air therethrough, said valve being adapted to close in response to air pressure, a

second passage in communication with the first passage, a second valve in the second passage to control the flow of compressed air therethrough, and means connecting the. float and the second valve, the arrangement of the float and the valves being such that when the. float is in its first position the first valve is open but when the float has been moved downwardly by compressed air the second valve opens to permit compressed air to pass through the second passage to close the first valve to out off the compressed air from the reservoir and to vent the reservoir thereby terminating the flow of fluid from the reservoir to the tank and permitting the return flow of fluid from the tank to the reservoir by gravity.

3. Apparatus to apply intermittent pressure to a body of fluid in a sealed reservoir comprising a hermetically sealed reservoir to hold a body of fluid, a float disposed upon and covering the surface of such fluid body, said float being in its first position when the reservoir is substantially full of fluid and being adapted to move downwardly from such first position in response to air under pressure to force fluid from the reservoir, and a pressure control unit to supply compessed air intermittently against the top sur face of the float to force the float against the fluid body, said unit comprising a housing, a first passage therein to transmit compressed air from an outside source to the reservoir and against the float, a first valve in the passage normally spring urged to open position to permit the movement of compressed air therethrough, said valve being adapted to close in response to air pressure, a second passage in communication with the first passage, and a second valve in the second passage connected to the float and movable therewith, said second valve being adapted to open when the float has been moved downwardly i to a predetermined position by the action of the compressed air through the first passage thereby permitting compressed air to flow through the second passage to close the first valve, thus cutting off the supply of compressed air against the float, said second valve being further adapted to close when the float has moved to its first position thus permitting the first valve to open to allow the passage of compressed air therethrough,

4. Apparatus to supply intermittent pressure to a body of fluid in a sealed reservoir comprising a float disposed upon and covering the surface of such fluid body, said float assuming its first position when the reservoir is substantially full of fluid and being adapted to. move therefrom in response to the pressure of compressed air to force such body of fluid from the reservoir, a pressure control unit having a passage to transmit compressed air from an outside source into the reservoir against the float to force the latter from its first position against the reservoir fluid, a valve in the passage normally spring urged to open position to permit the movement of compressed air therethrough, said valve being adapted to close in response to air pressure, a second passage extending from the first passage to said valve, a vent from said' second passage, a valve in the second passage which in its first position permits the transmission of compressed'air through the second passage to the first valve to close the latter and which in its second position cuts oi? the supply of compressed air through the second passage to the first valve permitting the latter to open in response to spring urging, and means connecting the float and the second valve so that when the float moves to its first position, the second valve assumes its second position thereby causing the first valve to open to allow compressed air to act upon the float to force it from its first position against the reservoir fluid and so that when the float moves to a predetermined position the second valve as.- sumes its first position to cause the first valve to close thus relieving the pressure of the compressed air upon the float.

5. Flushing apparatus comprising a tank in which an article may be disposed for cleansing by the flushing action of a fluid, a sealed reservoir for such fluid, fluid transmission means extending from the reservoir tothe tank, valve means in such transmission means to permit the passage of fluid therethrough when the reservoir fluid is under pressure, said valve means being adapted to permit the return flow of such fluid by gravity When such pressure has been relieved, a float disposed upon and covering the surface of the reservoir fluid, said float being in up position when the reservoir is substantially filled and being-adapted to move downwardly against such fluid to force it from the reservoir when air pressure is applied thereto, and a pressure control unit having a passage therethrough to permit the flow of compressed air from an outside source into the reservoir against said float, a valve in said passage normally spring urged to open position, said valve being adapted to close in response to air pressure, a second passage in communication with the first passage, a second valve in the second passage, said second valve, when in open position, being adapted to permit the flow of compressed air from the first passage through the second. passage to close the first valve thereby cutting off the flow of compressed air against the float, and means connecting the float and the second valve so that the second valve will open when the float reaches a predetermined down position in response to the pressure fluid flowing through the first passage and so that the second valve will close when the float returns to up position as the cleansing fluid returns to the reservoir by gravity from the cleansing tank.

EDGAR A. WARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,243,446 Terlesky et al May 27, 1941 

